Former Air India official murdered

NEW DELHI: A former Air India official was murdered at his west Delhi residence today by unidentified persons, who ransacked the house and fled with cash and valuables worth lakhs.

B D Sharma (68), a retired Transport Manager with the national carrier was found lying in a pool of blood at his Janakpuri residence by his wife Raksha when she returned after attending a religious congregation at around 3:30 pm, a senior police official said.

Sharma's throat was slit and his body bore several stab wounds, the official said.

The family claimed cash and jewellery besides electronic goods worth lakhs were missing from the house.

Investigators suspect someone "very close" to the Sharmas was behind the crime as the entry into the house seemed friendly.

"Probe revealed that it was a friendly entry, we are interrogating some close relatives and neighbours as we have some suspicion" the official said refusing to identify those being interrogated.

The security guards of the building and Sharmas' domestic help were reportedly missing, but the official refused to confirm it.